Definition
笔 (bǐ) is a general word for any writing instrument (pen, pencil, brush). It also serves as a classifier for sums of money or deals (e.g., 一笔钱 'a sum of money'). Important: to count pens or pencils themselves, use the measure word 支/zhī or 枝/zhī, not 笔.
writing instrument (pen, pencil, brush)classifier for sums of money or deals
Measure word · 支, 枝
Easily confused
- 第dìlook-alike(prefix) used before a number to form ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.)
- 比bǐsound-alike(preposition) used to compare differences, meaning 'more ... than'
- 算suànlook-aliketo calculate, compute; to figure (out)
- 闭bìsound-aliketo close, to shut
- 逼bīsound-aliketo force, to compel (someone to do something)
- 必bìsound-alikecertainly; must; necessarily; will (expressing necessity or certainty)
- 避bìsound-aliketo avoid; to evade; to keep away from; to shun
Examples
- 笔。Qǐng yòng zhè zhī bǐ xiě zì.Please use this pen to write.
- 笔？Wǒ de bǐ zài nǎlǐ?Where is my pen?
- 笔。Tā yǒu yì bǐ qián.He has a sum of money.
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